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Hi all,

I am trying to find a backpacking destination for early November that has reliable water. TrailDEX doesn't seem to have springs as a search option, so I feel like I am missing some trails. Any ideas? Basically looking for 8-16 miles roundtrip, easy to moderate, distance from Phoenix is not an issue.

Thanks!

powers spring is a couple of "icky" puddles of still water. since it is also pro'lly the only source of water for days.. every deer, bird, bear, horse, coati, rat, and whatever else drinks from it might be pissing there too!

if you go to powers, you'll find these pools upstream rattlesnake creek about 1/8 mile from the "garden"
i had to filter AND use micropur tablets to remove the funk flavor. but hey, it kept us alive ;)

Guess I'll just save that bad boy for the Spring. Thanks for the heads-up!

te-wa wrote:powers spring is a couple of "icky" puddles of still water.

Have you heard anything about Holdout Spring? I know at least one person who remembers it still going when Powers was dry quite a few years back.

big_load wrote:Have you heard anything about Holdout Spring?

Local legend has it that the Power Brothers went here to Holdout from being drafted. Couldn't tell you if it still has water or not though

jtaylor wrote:Guess I'll just save that bad boy for the Spring. Thanks for the heads-up!

dont discount the trip just because the pools are funky.. the water is clear "enough" and the trip was actually one of my favorites of the entire year. Powers Garden/Galiuro mountains is one of the FEW trips that gets my 5-star rating.

te-wa wrote:dont discount the trip just because the pools are funky.. the water is clear "enough" and the trip was actually one of my favorites of the entire year. Powers Garden/Galiuro mountains is one of the FEW trips that gets my 5-star rating.

I wouldn't have had a problem with it (I've filtered some pretty nasty stuff); but my companion for this trip is pretty finicky about his water. Power's Garden is definitely on my bucket list now, though.

We ended-up taking Hellsgate 37 down to Tonto Creek (thanks, azpride). It was strenuous, but friggin' beautiful. Only saw one day hiker the whole time, the weather was perfect, and there was a huge diversity of life zones. We were even lucky enough to catch the fall colors. My only regret was not bringing a fishing rod...or aprehending Robert Fisher.

Has anyone driven the jeep trail to the wilderness boundary up there? That looked like fun, too.

Good Thread. I am looking for a moderate backpack trip for Nov 21st weekend.
I gleened a few options to research.

Power's Garden
Hellsgate 37 / Tonto
Rogers Canyon+Frog Tanks to Reavis Ranch. Return via Reavis South.
Bluff Springs+Terrapin+Lost Dutchman to LaBarge spring. Return via Lost Dutchman


Thanks,

NautBrad wrote:I am looking for a moderate backpack trip for Nov 21st weekend.

I may just be out of shape, but I would rate Hellsgate 37 as strenuous. The first 4 miles aren't too bad, but the last 2.5 are brutal. I'd have to check my gps to get the actual elevation change. I can say that my knees were killing me by the end and we were going only going around 1mph.

Back with more later.

JT

Thanks.... Looking at the stats it is probably more strenuous than I want to deal with. I am way outta shape!

The Sups loops are looking promising. Still doing the research.

In looking at the tracklog on my GPS unit, the trail dropped about 1,700 feet over the last 2.5 miles. But a good chunk of that descent is within two half-mile stretches. Throw in some loose rocks and the weariness of being 4 miles in, and it's a recipe for pain.

Have you considered West Clear Creek (East of Camp Verde) or Whiskey Springs (Superstitions)? I did W. Clear Creek this Spring, and it was easy, beautify, and surprisingly secluded. Check out Preston Sands' photo set to get an idea as to what it looks like. It may be too cold with the upcoming temp drops, but when we drove past the nearby Verde River this weekend, the trees were spectacular!

I did Whiskey Springs several years ago. I don't remember it being too strenuous, and it was lower elevation (i.e., warmer) than Reavis. I would guess that the Forest Rangers would be able to tell you how reliable the spring is.

Thanks for the recommendations. I have done West Clear Creek a twice. Lots of boulder hopping and in and out of the water. If I am going to do something like that I would do Aravaipa. Easier and better scenery with lots of side canyons to explore. The others on the trip are not too keen on walking through the water for the majority of the trip.

We are also considering Sycamore Canyon (Dogie to Taylor Cabin), however it may be a little out of season and chilly.
http://www.hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=755

I will also check into Whiskey Springs.

Thanks for the leads.

Yeah, I would suggest South Fork Trail #95, but it would be cold at night. The creek is running very well. Trail data is very inaccurate--you can easily follow a trail along the creek for 4 miles from the trailhead (the usual data says 2 miles) and after that you can follow the creek to its source, in a meadow by FR 409, another 3 or 4 miles, but there is a lot of deadfall over the old trail for a couple miles along through there beyond Joe Baca Draw. You can also start at 409 and walk down.

It would have been a fine trip a couple weeks ago, but now we have this weather coming through, with snow likely. You'd never see anyone, except within 2 miles of the trailhead by the campground. (Even in midsummer I never see anyone past the 2 mile mark.)

Thanks! I think you are referring to South Fork Trail #97 (Little Colorado) to Mexican Hay lake based on your trip reports. Yeah it will be quite chilly this late in the Fall. But need to add this one to my to do list for a warmer time.

Yeah, I'm bad with numbers. It is #97, and is along the S. Fork of the Little Colorado.